University Central Library

Ponta Delgada, Azores

1st Prize, International Competition

The Library marks the boundary of the University Campus and responds in distinct ways to the two contexts that surround it: toward the city, a facade adapted to the scale and urban irregularity of Ponta Delgada; toward the campus, a light-colored, institutional facade.

An expansive steel brise-soleil regulates the entry of light into the reading rooms, enveloping the building like a veil. From a distance, the façade appears as an opaque surface, marked by the rust-red hue of the steel; as one approaches, it reveals its transparency and establishes a direct relationship between interior and exterior.

The reading rooms are distributed across different levels, connected by a system of ramps that runs lengthwise through the building. Each space takes on its own character, suited to its specific uses, while maintaining constant visual connections with the others.

Exterior view of the Central Library, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada
Interior circulation corridor at the Central Library, University of the Azores
Reading area and library interior, University of the Azores
Book stacks and central circulation aisle at the Central Library, University of the Azores
Interior gallery with overhead natural light at the Central Library, University of the Azores
Reading and study area within the Central Library, University of the Azores
Main reading room with bookshelves and study tables at the Central Library, University of the Azores
Interior circulation space with concrete walls and natural light at the Central Library, University of the Azores
Book stacks and filtered daylight through the façade at the Central Library, University of the Azores